JAZZ IN THE UK
by Chris Hodgkins, Director, Jazz
Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 Introduction
1.1 Jazz Services Ltd
2 Jazz in the UK today
2.1 The music
2.2 Characteristics and market size for jazz in the UK.
2.3 The UK Jazz Community
3 Issues affecting a healthy UK jazz scene
3.1 The Arts Council of England’s policy for jazz in England
and public funding.
3.2 Public Funding for Jazz
3.3 Conclusion
3.4 Arts Council of England subsidy per head for jazz, opera
and classical music.
3.5 Public Entertainment Licensing and the "2 in a bar" rule
3.5.1 The 2 in a bar rule
3.5.2 Venues
3.6 Jazz in Education
3.6.1 Jazz is helping music generally.
3.6.2 An all music education website.
3.6.3 The Site
3.6.4 Encouraging the youth of today
3.6.5 Looking Ahead
4 Appendices
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. This briefing paper is presented on behalf of Jazz Services
(paragraph 1.1).
2. Jazz is an important part of the UK contemporary music scene. It
makes a significant contribution to the UK’s cultural life and to its
reputation abroad (paragraph 2.1).
3. That contribution is not properly recognised by public funding
(paragraphs 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4).
4. Under the "2 in a bar rule", whereby only two musicians can play on
licensed premises which are not licensed for public entertainment,
jazz musicians are being denied employment and the public is
being denied access to the live performance of jazz (paragraphs
3.5.1 and 3.5.2.
5. Jazz is also making a serious contribution to the cause of music
generally. Jazz Services is pioneering a generic music education
website which will open up access to all forms of music for young
and old and teacher and pupil alike. (paragraphs 3.6.1 to 3.6.5).
1. Introduction
1. Jazz Services Ltd
Jazz Services Limited (JSL) was formed over 16 years ago to promote the
growth and development of jazz within the UK and is funded by the Arts
Council of England. JSL works closely with other UK organisations to give
a voice to jazz in terms of providing services and advice in the areas of
communications, marketing, information, education, publishing, touring
and advocacy. Jazz Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary company of JSL,
provides a publishing and marketing service to the jazz community in the
UK. It publishes a free bi-monthly magazine ‘Jazz UK’ which has the
largest circulation of any jazz publication in Europe.
2. Jazz in the UK today
1. The music
Today, jazz is played by musicians throughout the country. Many
UK jazz musicians have developed international reputations and
have committed their work to recordings that are eagerly sought by
a world-wide audience. There is no major city in the UK without a
jazz scene. Both mature musicians of established reputation and
young musicians, many with great flair and originality, seek a
serious audience who can understand and enjoy their music. They
perform in a variety of settings from concert halls, arts centres,
village halls, ballrooms, restaurants, coffee houses and public
houses.
Every summer there is a profusion of jazz festivals all over the
country, many attracting some of the finest jazz musicians in the
world. One of the features of the jazz audience in the UK is its size
– some three million people patronise these events.
Please see appendix 1.
2. Characteristics and market size for jazz in the UK.
In 1997/98 the audience for live jazz events in the United Kingdom
was 3.3 million people and there are 4-5 times as many people
again with a definable interest in jazz.
Jazz Services marketing research highlights the prime features of
the jazz audience at a typical small scale venue which are:
o A 3:2 ratio of males to females
o 70% of the audience will be aged between 16 and 35
o 30% of the audience will be full-time students
o 50% of the audience is from the ABC1 social groupings
Jazz, like opera, has a 16% market share or 1 in 6 arts attenders.
Market research has demonstrated that C2DE social groupings are
interested in jazz to a significant degree which is contrary to the
widely accepted view that the arts are only for the ABC1 social
groupings.
Please see Appendix 2.
3. The UK Jazz Community
The UK Jazz Community is made up of a diverse range of
individuals and organisations each having a "stake" in jazz in the
UK. The "stakeholders" range from musicians; trade and
professional organisations; promoters and venues, to jazz archives,
jazz festivals, record companies and jazz educators.
Please see Appendix 3.
3. Issues affecting a healthy UK jazz scene
1. The Arts Council of England’s policy for jazz in England
and public funding.
From 1993 Jazz Services (JSL) has advocated for increased public
support for jazz in the UK. JSL published Jazz: The Case for
Greater Investment as its submission to the first National Review of
Jazz set up by the Arts Council of England. The Jazz on a
Shoestring Campaign was launched in 1995 and an early day
motion attracted the support of over 100 MP’s for the Campaign. A
10,000 signature petition organised by Ken Purchase MP in support
of the Jazz on a Shoestring Campaign was presented to the then
Chair of the Arts Council of England, Lord Gowrie by Humphrey
Lyttelton, John Dankworth and Ken Purchase MP.
JSL made representations to the National Heritage Select
Committee and their first report on the Funding of the Performing
and Visual Arts in February 1996 stated:
"We do not believe that the different level of overheads in the
performance of jazz and opera explains the massive discrepancy
between the subsidy per member of the audience in the two forms
of music; the Arts Council should look again at the funding of live
jazz played by British musicians, in particular the National Youth
Jazz Orchestra and local youth jazz orchestras (paragraph 60).
The Arts Council of England’s Policy for Jazz in England was
published in November 1996. In the summary, it says:
"The policy will be delivered by a combination of Grant in Aid
funding (for service organisations, large ensembles, individual
artists, promoters and producers), the new Arts for Everyone
programme (for the creation of original work and the development
of audiences for it), the Capital Programme (for improved venue
facilities and equipment for musicians) and, in time, it is hoped
through a dedicated recording scheme funded by the Lottery".
2. Public Funding for Jazz
In summary, the public funding of jazz from 1995 to 2000 is set out
below:
Year Arts Actual or Increase %
Council Budget or increase
and RAB (Decrease) or
Funding on (decrease)
for Jazz previous on
year previous
year
1995/96 962,164 Actual - -
spend
1996/97 1,526,240 Actual 564,076 58%
spend
1997/98 1,874,423 Actual 348,183 22%
spend
1998/99 1,343,100 Budget (531,323) (28%)
1999/2000 1,030,500 Budget (312,600) (23%)
Table 1 – Public Funding of Jazz 1995 - 2000
3. Conclusion
It is regrettable that when the Arts Council of England ratified the
jazz policy in 1996 with objectives (albeit unquantified) and
strategies, they failed to allocate explicit resources. The Arts
Council of England should have earmarked sufficient resources to
enable the Arts Council Music Department to expedite the Council’s
policy. Furthermore, the Arts Council unfortunately failed to realise
the immense opportunity costs incurred in securing relatively
modest sums of money from Arts for Everyone Express and Main
Schemes which in any event only provided a two year funding
opportunity. Although much good has been achieved far more
would have and can still be made possible with an increased and
‘earmarked’ revenue funded budget.
See Appendix 4.
4. Arts Council of England subsidy per head for jazz,
opera and classical music.
The table set out below shows Arts Council of England subsidy per
head for jazz, opera and classical music. Despite the good
intentions of the jazz policy, jazz – with the same size audience as
opera – received subsidy of 0.15 pence in 1995/96 rising to 0.29
pence per head in 1996, falling to 0.25pence per head in
1999/2000. Whilst not wanting to rob Pavarotti to pay Courtney
Pine, this discrepancy, where subsidy per attender of opera of
12.07 in 95/96 rising to 12.75 per head in 99/2000 cannot be
justified, and still requires urgent adjustment.
ACE subsidy per attender 1995 –2000
Art Form 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000
£ £ £ £ £
Jazz 0.15 0.29 0.27 0.23 0.25
Opera 12.07 12.23 12.00 12.03 12.75
Classical 1.97 2.21 2.16 2.11 2.26
Music
Table 2 - ACE subsidy per attender 1995-2000
Please see Appendix 5.
5. Public Entertainment Licensing and the "2 in a bar" rule
1. The 2 in a bar rule
The current state of play is bedevilled by inertia. Under the
"2 in a bar rule" whereby only two musicians can play on
licensed premises without a public entertainment licence,
jazz musicians are being denied employment opportunities
and the public is being denied access to the live
performance of jazz. The jazz community would be grateful if
prompt action was secured that removed the current
iniquitous state of affairs that denies jazz musicians the right
to seek employment and the licensed trade the business
opportunities and benefits to their trade of the performance
of live jazz on licensed premises.
2. Venues
Furthermore, under the "2 in a bar rule", all styles of music suffer,
but jazz has been hit particularly hard. Over the last decade all the
major music colleges (RA, Guildhall, Leeds, Royal Northern, Trinity)
have launched jazz degrees. The UK is now bursting with talent,
but there has been no corresponding increase in the (small)
number of venues for bands.
Please see Appendix 6.
6. Jazz in Education
1. Jazz is helping music generally.
Jazz is also making a serious contribution to the cause of music
generally. With the support of:
o The Department for Education and Employment;
o The British Education Communications and Technology Agency;
o The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority;
o The National Music Council’;
o The Musicians’ Union.
2. An all music education website.
Jazz Services is pioneering a generic music education
website, which will open up access to all forms of music for
young and old and teacher and pupil alike. While the site will
be of direct assistance to classroom teachers, non-specialist
as well as specialist (and to the school pupil who has
achievement targets to meet under the National Curriculum),
it will aim to put all who visit the website at case with the fact
that music is something everyone can do and enjoy.
3. The Site
Through featured material, the site will:-
o Encourage the de-mystification of music – something at which jazz,
historically, has excelled;
o Give equal access to and promote all forms of music, and
o Provide material for use in school, out of school and lifelong
learning situations and for music-making for fun.
4. Encouraging the youth of today
Of all the art forms, music is the one which, particularly
through youth and local authority music service outlets,
disaffected youth taps into most often and most creatively.
That is one of the reasons why Jazz Services is discussing
with the National Foundation for Youth Music the most
appropriate form of and basis for partnership in the running
of this website.
5. Looking Ahead
This Jazz Services’ initiative is a first rate example of the
importance and outward looking nature of jazz in the music family,
notwithstanding the offensive disparity in public funding levels as
between jazz and opera (which happens to serve a similar sized
audience).
Please also see Appendix 3.12
4. Appendices
1. The Music and the Performance
2. Characteristics of the Market for Jazz and Market Size
3. The UK Jazz Community
4. The Arts Council of England’s Policy for Jazz in England and Public Funding
5. Arts Council of England subsidy per attender for jazz, opera and classical music
6. Public Entertainment Licensing on the "2 in a bar" rule.
APPENDIX 1
1. THE MUSIC AND THE PERFORMANCE
1. Jazz Music is a unique art form. Whilst poetry, art, classical music, drama and
dance are, on occasion, expressed spontaneously, jazz stands alone by its use
of improvisatory practices as the focal point of the music. Within this context
there is great scope for individuality and creativity. The engaging vitality of the
music stems from the spontaneity of the improvising musician.
2. Jazz, although still not fully recognised as a fine art in the United Kingdom, has
influenced the development of new styles of popular music and the work of
symphonic composers. The work of the greatest jazz musicians is played and
analysed in universities and conservatories throughout the world. Some of the
finest moments of recorded jazz also number among the finest moments of
recorded twentieth century music. Jazz is a significant and vital music which has
developed beyond its relatively humble origins to become a sophisticated art
form which speaks an international language.
3. The word jazz has a variety of meanings, encompassing a broad, changing
stream of originally North American styles. Within these styles, each jazz
performance represents an original and largely spontaneous creation, because
an essential element of jazz is improvisation: what jazz artists say and how they
say it, how they reconcile their ideas, concepts, technique and emotion against
rhythm, harmony and melody, is what decides a successful jazz performance.
This process is often misunderstood and misrepresented, and because of the
wide range of styles encompassed in the word "jazz", the uninformed listener
often mistakes one part for the whole and forms a judgement on this
misconception. Another common myth is that improvisation is an act of
inspiration beyond the control of the performer. Jazz is an extraordinarily
disciplined music requiring rigorous theoretical and technical training to
participate at the highest level. To improvise is to perform and compose
simultaneously, and the greater the musicians’ knowledge, the greater the scope
of improvisation.
4. A jazz musician today is usually able to read at sight complex music, has a
sound knowledge of theory and harmony and a highly developed technical
facility. To achieve the theoretical and technical proficiency required to participate
at the top of the jazz profession takes years of dedicated study. It is jazz
musicians who have extended the normal range of the trumpet, trombone and
saxophone family. Today, for example, composers and arrangers will customarily
include passages for trumpet that are written an octave higher than would have
been the norm for the instrument up to the 1920’s.
5. There are many intellectual rewards to be gained by listening to jazz. It demands
a thoughtful response to follow the inventive thinking of improvisers and the
moment-to-moment changes their accompanists make. There is a general raising
of standards of musical appreciation among those people who experience the
musical challenges of jazz.
6. Today, jazz is played by musicians throughout the country. Many British jazz
musicians have developed international reputations and have committed their
work to recordings that are eagerly sought by a world-wide audience. There is no
major city in the UK without a jazz scene. Both mature musicians of established
reputation and young musicians, many with great flair and originality, seek a
serious audience who can understand and enjoy their music. They perform in a
variety of settings from concert halls, arts centres, village halls, ballrooms,
restaurants, coffee houses and public houses.
7. Every summer there is a profusion of jazz festivals all over the country, many
attracting some of the finest jazz musicians in the world. One of the features of
the jazz audience in the UK is its size - some three million people patronise these
events. One commentator has called it "probably the largest single-interest group
in the country to be virtually ignored by government funding and public service
broadcasting."
NOTE
This section was contributed by Stuart Nicholson, author of Jazz: The Modern
Resurgence and books on Billie Holiday; Ella Fitzgerald; and Duke Ellington.
APPENDIX 2
2. CHARACTERISTICS AND MARKET SIZE FOR JAZZ IN THE UK
1. Market Size
TGI figures for the year 1997/98 show the audience for jazz who attended live
jazz events at least once a year to be 5.8% of the sample, with 0.6% attending at
least once every 3 months.
The audience for jazz at live events in the United Kingdom extrapolated from the
1997/98 TGI figures is 3.3 million adults, of which 1.49 million are ABC social
groupings.
An earlier separate study into the leisure market (RSL leisure monitor Jan 1989-
Dec 1990) confirms that there are 4-5 times as many people again with a
definable interest in jazz.
The RSGB (1991) study indicates that as many people watch jazz on television
or listen on the radio as actually attend. Please note there is no jazz on national
terrestrial television. For example the figures for attendance of jazz events in the
UK in the RSGB survey is 6%, however those people who do not attend events
but who listen to jazz on the radio is 7%. This indicates that 6 million adults have
a definable interest in jazz.
This is supported by the earlier leisure market study (RSL Leisure Monitor
1989/90) that points to 8.6 million people having an interest in jazz but do not
currently attend; of this 8.6 million, 4.1 million watched on TV and didn’t attend,
and 4.5 million listened on radio and neither attended nor watched on television.
TGI figures for 1995/96 show that of all adults who receive cable or satellite TV,
4.7% (0.5 million) currently attend jazz events. Of all adults who listen to
commercial radio at least once a week 6.5% (1.84 million) currently attend jazz
events.
2. The End User
From JSL marketing research the prime features of the jazz audience at a typical
small scale venue are:
 A 3:2 ratio of males to females.
 70% of the audience will be aged between 16 and 35.
 30% of the audience will be full time students.
 50% of the audience is ABC1.
The audience is above average in educational attainment 40% are professionally
qualified.
Less than 20% belong to an established jazz society.
3. Market Share
The TGI figures for 1997/98 show that 20.8 million people currently attend the
live arts. Jazz, like opera, has a 16% market share or 1 in 6 arts attenders.
4. C2DE’s Show Strong Interest
From the Research Digest for the Arts (RDA) dealing with jazz it is seen that
those interested non-attendees are much more similar in profile to the population
as a whole, whereas the current jazz attendees’ profile is younger more up
market and is more likely to be male. The table from the RDA reproduced below
demonstrates this and it should be noted that C2DE’s are interested to a
significant degree which is contrary to the widely accepted view that the arts are
only for the ABC1’s.
THE JAZZ ATTENDEE’S PROFILE
ADULT TOTAL JAZZ INTERESTED
POPULATION ATTENDANCE % BUT DO NOT
ATTEND %
UNDER 35 37 45 33
35-54 30 34 34
55+ 33 21 33
MALE 49 57 53
FEMALE 51 43 47
ABC1 40 62 45
C2DE 60 38 55
Table 1
APPENDIX 3
1. THE UK JAZZ COMMUNITY
Currently the UK jazz community is made up of a diverse range of individuals and
organisations, each having a "stake" in jazz in the UK. The market can be analysed into
the following market segments.
1. Musicians’ Trade and Professional Organisations
There are a number of organisations that exist to promote and assist in the work
of jazz musicians. They range from professional organisations such as the
Musicians’ Union with an active Jazz Section, Performing Right Society Ltd,
Mechanical Copyright and Phonographic Society, Phonographic Performances
Ltd to lobbying bodies such as the Association of British Jazz Musicians and
Music Alliance to direct promoting and touring organisations, Jazz Umbrella,
London Musicians’ Collective, Grand Union and Serious Productions.
2. Agents/Management
A small number of agency and management companies exist. Most of these
agencies concentrate on commercially "viable" bands and musicians.
3. Promoters and Venues
As a result of the under-funding of jazz, the infrastructure for the promotion and
distribution of jazz is almost non-existent when compared to other art forms. The
enormous amount of jazz activity is a tribute to the exceptionally generous efforts
of a volunteer sector, a few publicly subsidised and private organisations, and to
musicians who often subsidise their own playing. For example, the effectiveness
of Jazz Services depends critically on a network of dedicated volunteers
throughout the UK. In complete contrast the amount of administrative support
backing up classical orchestras averages 15 administrators/marketing
people/press people etc to service around 70 orchestral players.
The type and range of venues varies enormously and includes arts centres,
theatres, local authorities, concert halls, leisure centres, hotels and pubs. Jazz
Services with the PRS and the Musicians’ Union launched a scheme to assist
promoters (see attached). Jazz Services National Touring Support Scheme gives
a ‘snapshot’ of jazz touring in the UK. (Please see attached).
4. Festivals
There are around 39 annual jazz festivals in the UK. These differ in policy and
size from the Ealing Jazz Festival featuring musicians living in the Ealing area to
major international festivals in Brecon, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cheltenham.
Additionally, a growing number of non-specific arts and music festivals are
including jazz in their programmes.
5. Development Organisations
Currently there are three regional jazz organisations in England covering the
South West, North West and Yorkshire & the North, and in Wales there is the
Welsh Jazz Society. For the UK as a whole there is Jazz Services, the national
development organisation for jazz with responsibilities for information, education,
publishing marketing & communications and touring. The company also owns
Jazz Newspapers which publishes Jazz UK, the largest jazz publication in
Europe. The setting up of the Jazz Development Trust with its complimentary
and additional activity is potentially a welcome addition.
6. Jazz Societies
There are a number of active specialist jazz societies relying on volunteer help
and self funding.
7. Arts Councils and Regional Arts Boards
In 1990, in response to the Wilding Report, a major reorganisation of the arts
funding structure was announced. This included the replacement of the twelve
Regional Arts Associations with ten Regional Arts Boards (RABs), which was
effective from October 1991. This, along with the Arts Councils’ role of becoming
more "strategic" was meant to devolve responsibility and funding away from the
Arts Council to the regions.
On the 1st April 1994 the present structure of the Arts Council of Great Britain
with Welsh and Scottish Arts Councils will be devolved into separate Arts
st
Councils for England, Wales and Scotland and from 1 April 1999 responsibility
for a major part of financial support for the arts is devolved to the RABs.
Currently the Arts Council is again undergoing restructuring and a strategic
review.
8. Local Authorities
Through their Arts and Leisure departments, some local authorities fund a variety
of jazz events ranging from festivals to concert programmes, youth orchestras
and club events. For example, Essex County Council has a strong commitment
to jazz demonstrated by its funding of the National Jazz Foundation Archive at
Loughton. Through their music services local Education Authorities play an
important role in introducing school pupils to jazz.
9. Jazz Archives
Set out below are the existing jazz archives in the UK.
British Institute of Jazz Studies: 2,500 books, 16,500 periodical issues, a few
thousand brochures and press cuttings.
The Stables: 6,000 LP’s, 800 CD’s, many reel to reel recordings, covering 1980’s
to 1950’s, all catalogues; primarily US artists on UK labels.
National Sound Archive: part of the British Library. The major national collection
of recordings, plus many oral histories of relevance.
Women’s Jazz Archive: It encourages and fosters the understanding, knowledge
and appreciation of jazz and its associated forms, with particular emphasis on the
contribution of jazz women and their influence on popular culture in the UK.
Essex County Libraries: Holds National Jazz Foundation Archive at its Loughton
branch; 1038 books, many magazines (167 bound volumes plus 352 loose
issues) and a large collection of ephemera, including programmes, photos, etc.
Books are catalogued within Essex County Libraries’ system, and the magazines
on a card catalogue.
Jazz Services Ltd: The most comprehensive UK database of current jazz
contacts; over 7,000 contacts, including musicians, bands, promoters, venues
education contacts, media contacts, marketing contacts, etc. These are available
through public access computer, in book form (The Jazz Book), and soon on CD
ROM and through the Internet. Their subsidiary, Jazz Newspapers, publishes the
largest circulation jazz magazine in the UK, Jazz UK. Their Web site not only
provides comprehensive information on the company, but also has links to over
1,700 jazz sites internationally.
John Dankworth: Personal collection of a few thousand books plus a substantial
record collection.
City of Leeds College of Music Popular Music Archive: 65% of collection is jazz,
2,000 singles, 5,000 LP’s Crescendo and Jazz Journal, 1948 – date, plus other
journals; dance band charts; extensive collection of sheet music; Duke Ellington
tape collection.
University of Liverpool Institute of Popular Music: 3,000 post 1945 records, some
discographies, back issues of The Wire and Jazz Journal.
John R.T. Davies Vintage Jazz Archive: 100,000 jazz recordings from 1898 to
date with an emphasis on the inter-war period.
Exeter University: American music collection with an emphasis on jazz and
blues. 5,000 records, 3,000 cassettes, 250 CD’s, books, music periodicals and a
clippings file covering 1950 to date.
National Database of Jazz Archive Materials: A number of the UK-based jazz
archives are committed to the establishment of a national database of jazz
archive materials.
10. Media
Currently there are a number of magazines dealing specifically with jazz; Jazz
UK, Jazz Journal, Crescendo, Jazz Rag, Straight No Chaser, The Wire,
Jazzwise. There are also more specialised magazines covering one area of the
music. e.g. Big Bands (Big Bands International), New Orleans jazz,
contemporary music (Avant), individual jazz organisations (News from NYJO,
Quarternotes), instrumental magazines (The Trombonist, CASS). Jazz also
figures in certain listings magazines and leaflets.
With a handful of honourable exceptions, coverage in regional weekly and
national newspapers compared to other art forms is at best sparse. However,
The Guardian has just started a weekly diary column on Wednesdays by John
Fordham.
There are two commercial radio stations - Jazz FM and Jazz FM North West -
where some 30% of the airtime is allotted to jazz. BBC radio runs jazz
programmes primarily on Radio 2 & Radio 3 with very occasional magazine
programmes on Radio 4. There is also the launch of Music Choice Europe which
has three jazz channels.
There is currently no coverage of jazz on terrestrial television both in the
commercial and public sectors and in the past coverage has been at best
sporadic. The current position with regard to public sector broadcasting’s
treatment of jazz is set out below. Recently an American TV company, BET on
Jazz International, has been marketing its cable jazz channel in the UK and
mainland Europe. BET On Jazz International embraces all forms of jazz and is
designed to entertain the jazz aficionado as well as the novice with music
performances, international and national jazz festivals, jazz music videos,
interviews with premiere jazz artists, concerts and biographical features.
Research surveys of Great Britain Ltd prepared research for the Arts Council on
Arts and Cultural Activities in Great Britain. 1 Their research produced the
following figures on the percentage of the population who listen on the radio to
opera, classical music and jazz in Table 2 below.
Opera 4%
Orchestral Music 13%
Jazz 7%
Table 2 - Radio Listeners
The amount of music in these three categories broadcast in a typical week on
BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is shown in Table 3 below.
MUSIC HOURS BROADCAST
Week beginning Week beginning
th
4 September 1st May 1999
1993
Opera 10.75 7
Orchestral Music 88.75 106.25
Jazz 8.25 9.5
Table 3 - Hours Broadcast
If the above hours are expressed as a percentage of the total the result is Table
4 below.
MUSIC % of TOTAL TIME
Week beginning Week beginning
th
4 September 1st May 1999 3
1993 2
Opera 9.98% 5.7%
Orchestral Music 82.37% 86.56%
Jazz 7.65% 7.74%
Table 4 - Percentage of Total Air Time
Clearly, the jazz listener is less well catered for. Stuart Nicholson, author of Jazz:
The Modern Resurgence, argues that public sector broadcasting appears to have
in many instances set out to stifle jazz. This in turn, he argues, reflects itself in
the low esteem in which jazz is held by the arts funding bodies. However, Radio
3 has made great efforts in 1997/1998 to brand its jazz output, a move that is
welcomed in its explicit recognition of the importance of jazz.
11. Record Companies & Distributors
With the exception of the larger recording companies - e.g. Sony, BMG and EMI,
the recording and distribution of jazz is carried out by independent record labels,
specialist distribution companies and specialist retail outlets. There is no jazz
network for mainstream distribution. This is compounded by no new jazz
releases in the Woolworths, John Menzies and W H Smiths chains. Therefore
one third of the market is missed.
12. Education
The world of music education tends to see jazz as one of many styles of music
(World Musics) which have an equal appeal as an educational resource.
While agreeing that the broad vista of world music has a large contribution to
make to our previously purely European based music education system, with all
its advantages and faults, it is apparent that jazz has special qualities which
make it particularly important as an educational resource for educating all
musicians.
As well as its intrinsic qualities, it also has an important role as a base music for
much of the popular music of the twentieth century. This gives it a "street
credibility" and a broad appeal for young people, an important feature in
education. Hence jazz is a "user-friendly" system for educating musicians of all
abilities and persuasions.
Music education has obviously recognised this to some extent by including jazz
in the National Curriculum, and GCSE examination requirements; the relevant
works being composed and performed by British jazz musicians.
Jazz education is happening in all sectors, primary and secondary schools,
further education colleges and universities and other higher education institutions
including of course the schools of music which are also fruitful settings for a
range of jazz activities.
With the growth of jazz in education there has been a corresponding rise in the
numbers of music publishers and companies offering materials and textbooks for
the jazz education market.
13. Commercial Sponsorship
The pattern of sponsorship has been haphazard and the focus has been on
festivals, tours (featuring predominantly international bands), product promotion
and youth such as the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (Unison) and the Young
Jazz Musician of the Year (Sun Alliance), Perrier Young Jazz Awards. Little of
this sponsorship has filtered through to support the baseline of jazz activity in the
UK.
APPENDIX 4
4. THE ARTS COUNCIL OF ENGLAND’S POLICY FOR JAZZ IN
ENGLAND AND PUBLIC FUNDING
1. Background
In November 1993 Jazz Services (JSL) published an in-depth report on the state
of jazz in the UK Jazz: The Case for Greater Investment as its submission to the
Arts Council of England’s first National Review of Jazz that was due to report in
March 1994.
In January 1995 JSL – with funding from the Musicians’ Union – launched a
campaign Jazz on a Shoe String, aimed at ensuring the Arts Council of England
heard the voice of the jazz community urging them to address the massive
imbalance in funding between jazz and opera. It was fervently hoped that the first
National Review of Jazz – due to report early in1995 – would address the
inequality of funding.
In February 1995 an Early Day Motion was put down that attracted the support of
over 100 MP’s:
That this House congratulates Jazz Services on its campaign, Jazz on a
Shoestring supported by leading British jazz musicians, aimed at informing the
Arts Council that over 3,000,000 people in Britain enjoy world class British jazz
and that the audience for British jazz has grown by 20 percent over the past
decade, draws a comparison with the measly subsidy of 8½ pence per person
attending a jazz concert to the millions of pounds given to subsidise opera and
symphony concerts and calls on the Arts Council to recognise the enormous
contribution to both enjoyment and national culture made by the many existing
and aspiring British jazz musicians by substantially increasing financial support.
th
On the 4 July 1995 Lord Gowrie the Arts Council of England (ACE) Chair was
presented with a 10,000 signature petition, organised by Ken Purchase MP in
support of the JSL campaign Jazz on a Shoe String, by Ken Purchase,
Humphrey Lyttelton and John Dankworth. The Arts Council of England was still
compiling the first National Review of Jazz which was expected to shape future
policy for jazz including funding.
Following representations by JSL to the National Heritage Committee, the first
report on the Funding of the Performing and Visual Arts (28/02/96) stated:
We do not believe that the different level of overheads in the performance of jazz
and opera explains the massive discrepancy between the subsidy per member of
the audience in the two forms of music; the Arts council should look again at the
funding of live jazz played by British musicians, in particular the National Youth
Jazz Orchestra and local jazz orchestras (paragraph 60).
The Arts Council of England’s Policy for Jazz in England was published in
November 1996. In the summary, it says:-
The policy will be delivered by a combination of Grand in Aid funding (for service
organisations, large ensembles, individual artists, promoters and producers), the
new Arts for Everyone programme (for the creation of original work and the
development of audiences for it), the Capital Programme (for improved venue
facilities and equipment for musicians) and, in time, it is hoped through a
dedicated recording scheme funded by the Lottery.
2. Resourcing the Jazz Policy
In the Arts Council of England’s business plan 1997/1998 (published in February
1997) the section on page 35 How the Grant was Allocated says:
Where a national policy had been agreed, or a strategy for
developing a particular area of work, plans showed how these
would be implemented. For instance, in the case of New Music
and Jazz, both the subject of recently published policies, a three
year funding strategy was drawn up, showing how the policies
could be implemented through existing budgets managed by
Rabbis and the Arts Council’s Touring and Music departments.
In the policy document the ACE and the Regional Arts Boards (RABs)
unequivocally committed themselves to the policy and its objectives. In summary,
the policy outlined the priorities for the support of jazz in England:
 The development of strong networks of promoters around the country with commitment
and expertise in presenting jazz.
 The development of experienced producers of jazz.
 Support for the process of bringing jazz and its audience together: from the inception of
the original project to its dissemination, including recording.
 Opportunities for voluntary organisations and young people to engage as participants and
audiences in jazz.
 Investment in improved conditions for jazz musicians, allowing for proper rehearsal and
artistic development of bands and of individuals.
 Investment in a network of venues of all sizes which are suitably equipped for jazz
performances and offer a congenial atmosphere to jazz audiences.
 Support for a range of agencies and contact points that can assist individual jazz
musicians and promoters throughout the country.
However, the financing of the policy was and still is dependant on the resources
available which are a mix of revenue funding the Arts for Everyone (Express and
Main Scheme) and lottery capital funding and the initiatives shown by producers,
promoters, practitioners and ACE & RAB funded organisations with a remit for
jazz and its development. It should be noted that Arts for Everyone both Express
and Main Scheme ran from late 1996 to 1998 and could at best provide a two
year window of opportunity for applications.
3. The ACE and RABs: Priorities
Starting in the financial year 1997/98, the ACE and RABs commenced working
towards achieving the priorities of the Jazz Policy in a number of ways.
1. Fixed Term Support for Ensembles
ACE with RABs are supporting four jazz ensembles, one of them a big
band, over a period of two to three years and an allocation of £45,000 up
to 1998/99 has been made. Alongside this, the Creative Jazz Orchestra
has also received £150,000 from the Arts for Everyone main programme
and a further £10,000 towards a Composer in Residence scheme, the
first time ever for a jazz orchestra to receive such funding in England.
2. Promoters Development fund/Producers Support Scheme
These are currently managed by the Touring Department. However from
budgets of £565,480 for 1997/98 only £27,750 was allocated to jazz.
3. Creating Work: Performance, touring and recording
This was to be achieved through the Arts for Everyone Main Programme
(which finished in 1998) as well as the Lottery Capital Programme and
Arts Council funds for touring. Over the past years a number of jazz
recordings have been assisted. The recording scheme is now on "hold".
4. Touring
£400,000 has been set aside for the touring of large ensembles (Music
and Touring Department budget) and support for small ensembles is
carried out by Jazz Services.
5. Regional Jazz Organisations
These are supported by RABs for the promotion and development of
jazz. There are currently three: Jazz Action, South West Jazz and Jazz
East, which received £100,000 from the Arts for Everyone Main Scheme,
Jazz North West Ltd is currently being wound up but the monies that
would have been allocated to Jazz North West have been apportioned to
Jazz schemes, touring and projects in the North West area.
6. Jazz Festivals
£20,000 was allocated towards special festival initiatives and through the
Arts for Everyone main programme. Support also went to the launch of
two major jazz festivals, the Bath European Jazz Weekend and
Cheltenham International Jazz Festival.
7. Professional Musicians Development
The jazz policy indicated that room should be made for the professional
development of musicians, to which £15,000 was spent in 1997/98 with a further
£20,000 per annum allocated to 1999/2000.
4. Funding the Jazz Policy
1. ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1995/96
Set out below is the total funding of jazz by the Arts Council of England for the
financial year 1995/96. The total amount of funding will act as a base line figure
on which increases or decreases in funding in subsequent years can be
measured.
Table 1 - ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1995/96
Type of funding Organisation Funding Increase %
/Decrease Increase/
£ Decrease
ACE regularly Jazz Services 127,500 - -
funded
organisations National Youth Jazz
Orchestra
7600
ACE Fish Krish Agency 3000 - -
African/Caribbean
music Jazz Jamaica 5000 - -
Jazz Services 2000 - -
ACE Artists Iain Ballamy 1500 - -
Research &
Development Peter Cusack 1250 - -
Fund
David Jean-Baptiste 2000 - -
ACE Improvised 70500 - -
Music Touring
ACE Music Birmingham Jazz 3400 - -
Commission Services
2500 - -
Serious
ACE Recording 33 Records 8500 - -
Slam Records 2510 - -
ACE Strategic Blow the Fuse 3220 - -
Initiatives
Jazz Umbrella 2070 - -
South West Jazz 5000 - -
Tomorrow’s
Warriors 3000 - -
ACE 129150 - -
Contemporary
Music Network
Venue & Promoter Birmingham Jazz 500 - -
Development
Total - 380200 - -
ACE Lottery Jazz Services 15602 - -
Capital Funding
National Youth Jazz
Orchestra
100,000 - -
Inner City Music
59142 - -
Presteigne Folk &
Jazz Association
7220 - -
Sub Total - 181,964 - -
Total ACE - 562,164 - -
RAB Expenditure - 400,000 - -
TOTAL - 962,164 - -
Source ACE Report and Accounts 1995/96
Notes:
1. CMN expenditure is estimated at £125,000 plus £4150 for jazz organisations
mentioned in touring department expenditure under CMN heading.
2. Estimated expenditure based on Jazz Green Paper expenditure on jazz RAB for
93/94 . (Please see Appendix 3A of the ACE Green Paper for Jazz). In any event
it is difficult to extract funding for jazz by the RABs as their accounting systems
deal with all musics.
3. The base line total for jazz in 95/96 is £962,164.
2. ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1996 to 1997
In November 1996 the Jazz Policy for England was published. Even before the
publication date the Jazz Policy had begun to have a favourable impact on the
funding of jazz in England as Table 2 demonstrates.
Table 2 - ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1996/97
Type of funding Organisation Funding Increase %
/Decrease Increase/
£ on 95/96 Decrease
on 95/96
ACE regularly Jazz Services 127,500 - -
funded
organisations National Youth Jazz
Orchestra
7600
ACE Caribbean Jazz 4000 - -
African/Caribbean Convention
music - -
Fish Krish Agency
1000 (2000) (66%)
Gail Thompson
4000 - -
ACE Artists Creative Jazz Orchestra 10000 17950 377%
Research &
Development Gary Crosby 3000
Fund
Tony Haynes 1500
Ken Hyder 2000
Mark Lockhart 1700
Will Menter 2500
Gail Thompson 2000
ACE Improvised 68990 (1510) (2%)
Music Touring
ACE Music David Murray 2000 29150 494%
Commission
Milan Ladd 2000
Brian Abrahams 3000
Ian Gardiner 2500
Jean Toussaint 2000
Annie Whitehead 5000
Huw Warren 1500
Stan Tracey 2250
Paul Dunmall 2800
Eddie Parker 3000
Iain Ballamy 2000
Carla Bley 3000
Jason Yarde 4000
ACE Recording 33 Records 5500 8448 77%
Blow the Fuse 3958
Inner City Music 10000
ACE Strategic Bath Festival 5000 1710 13%
Research Projects
Cheltenham Jazz Festival 10000
ACE Creative Jazz Orchestra 49881 182099 141%
Contemporary
Music Network Blackheath Concert Halls 54050
Cambridge Modern Jazz
Club
3000
Joyful Noise
11838
Nod Knowles Productions
77834
Serious
84146
Steve Martland Band
30000
Triangle Creative
Productions 500
ACE Venue & Birmingham Jazz 10000 19500 3900%
Promoter
Development Nod Knowles Productions 10000
ACE International Bath Festivals Trust 10000 48880 -
Initiatives Fund
Como No 13880
Joyful Noise 3000
Leo Records 10000
LMC 5000
Oyortey Zagba 7000
Sub Total - 685427 305227 80%
ACE Grand Union 48623
LotteryCapital
funding London Musicians
Collective
75581
Crissy Lee Big Band
63000
Birmingham International
Jazz Festival
Jazz Coventry 16083
Wigan Youth Jazz 4675
Orchestra
85931
Sub Total (see 293893 111929 61%
note 1 below)
ACE A4E Express 35 successful applicants 146920 146920 -
First Round (see
note 2 below)
Sub Total
1126240 564076 100%
TOTAL RAB 400000 - -
Expenditure
(estimated)
TOTAL 1,526,240 564,076 58%
See note 1 below
Source: ACE Report and Accounts 1996/97
NOTES:
1. ACE revenue funding of regularly funded organisations remained static. However
combined with project, touring, commissioning funds etc there was an increase of
£305,227 to £685,427 giving an 80% increase on 95/96. The overall increase on
1995/96 was 58%.
2. Arts for Everyone Express Rounds 1 and 2
Jazz Services welcomed the idea of the Scheme and in
conjunction with South West Jazz, Jazz Action, Jazz North West,
Equator International and the Musicians’ Union actively
promoted the scheme to the jazz constituency in England. Jazz
Services circulated information – via the Arts Council of England
– to around 6000 musicians, promoters, managers etc. The
success rate of applications to date of Arts for Everyone is set
out below.
In the first round Jazz Services advised and signed 29
st
applications by 31 January 1997. The applications totalled
£132,235. Nine applicants were successful to the tune of
£41,398.
In the second round (see 4.4.3 below) successful applications
totalled £317,858. Half of the applications (38) totalling £172,32
were actively assisted by Jazz Services. Of the £2.173 million
allocated to music, jazz received 14.6%. Of the total projects
(3082), jazz had a success rate of 2.46% and of the total amount
awarded (£12.5 million) a success rate of 2.5%.
The grand total that Jazz Services helped secure was £213,724
from 47 successful applications.
3. ACE/RAB funding of Jazz 1997/1998
The figures for 1997/98 demonstrate the continuing impact of the policy on the
allocation of resources to jazz. Although the overall increase has reduced 22%
on the previous year’s figures. Revenue funding increased by only 0.8%
Table 3 - ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1997/98
Type of funding Organisation Funding Increase %
/Decrease Increase/
£ Decrease
On on
1996/97 1996/97
ACE regularly Jazz Services 127,500
funded
organisations National Youth Jazz 12600 20000 15%
Orchestra
Grand Union Orchestra
15000
ACE Jazz and Creative Jazz Orchestra 12000
New Music
Ensembles
Formerly Jazz Moves 5000
Research &
Development Jazz Umbrella 7000
Fund
Tomorrow’s Warriors 6000
Ultra Sound 6000
ACE Production Jazz/Improvised Music 108300 62810 91%
and Distribution Touring
Funds
Caribbean Jazz
Convention 5000
African Miles 4500
Croydon Clocktower 3000
Cambridge Modern Jazz 5000
Club
Meltdown
6000
ACE Music 21000 (14050) (40%)
Commission
ACE 276386 (34863) (11%)
Contemporary
Music Network
ACE International 60000 11120 22%
Initiatives Fund
Composer in Creative Jazz Orchestra 10000 10000 -
residence
Sub Total 690286 5483 0.8%
ACE A4E 76 successful 317858 170938 116%
Express applications
second round)
A4E Main Birmingham Jazz 94879 466279 -
Shceme rounds 1
and 2 Creative Jazz Orchestra 150000
(see note 1 Jazz East 100000
below)
Take Twenty 5400
Powerhouse Project 36000
Improv Integrated Music 80000
Project
Total 1,474,423 348,183 31%
RAB Expenditure 400,000 - -
(estimated)
TOTAL 1,874,423 348,183 23%
Source ACE press release 16.1.98 – Allocation of Grants & ACE Annual Report
1998.
NOTES:
1. Arts for Everyone Main Scheme – First Round
o In the first round 112 projects were funded.
o The value of grants made totalled £18.991 million.
o 22 projects totalling £2.338 million were awarded to music.
o Of the 22 projects, three were awarded to jazz totalling £324,879
– i.e. 13.8% of the total music awards.
4. ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1998/99
Table 4 - ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1997/98
Type of funding Organisation Funding Increase %
/Decrease Increase/
£ Decrease
On on
1997/98 1997/98
ACE regularly Jazz Services 127,500
funded
organisations National Youth Jazz 12600
Orchestra
15000
Grand Union
Orchestra
ACE Jazz and Creative Jazz 12000
New Music Orchestra
Ensembles 5000
Jazz Moves 7000
Jazz Umbrella 6000
Tomorrow’s Warriors 6000
Ultra Sound
ACE Production Jazz/Improvised 105000 (3300) (3%)
and Distribution Music Touring
Funds
ACE Music 21000
Commission
See note (1)
ACE 276000
Contemporary
Music Network
(See Note 2)
Sub Total 593100 (97186) (14%)
ACE A4E Main Jazz Services 90000 (116279) (25%)
Scheme Round 3
Serious 160000
Manchester Jazz 70000
Festival
30000
Brighton Jazz Club
A4E Main Scheme - - - -
Round 4
SubTotal 943100
RAB Expenditure 400000 - -
(estimated)
TOTAL 1,343,100 (531323) (28%)
th
Source: Arts Council Press Release and Budgets. Friday 16 January 1998.
NOTES:
1. Assume level of ACE Music Commissions for 1998/99 is the same level as for
1997/98 i.e. £21000.
2. Assume level of monies committed to jazz from the Contemporary Music
Network for 1998/99 is the same level as 1997/98 i.e. £276,000.
5. ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1999/2000
Table 5 - ACE/RAB Funding of Jazz 1999/2000
Type of funding Organisation Funding Increase %
/Decrease Increase/
£ Decrease
On on
1998/99 1998/99
ACE regularly Jazz Services 147,500 27400 17%
funded
organisations National Youth Jazz 20000
Orchestra
15000
Grand Union
Orchestra
ACE Jazz and 46000 10000 28%
New Music
Ensembles
Fixed Term
Total 126000 - -
Development
Funds
(See note 1)
Contemporary 276000 - -
Music Network
Sub Total 630500 37400 6%
RAB Expenditure 400,000 - -
(estimated)
TOTAL 1030500 (312600) (23%)
Notes:
1. Assume some level of jazz and improvised music touring funding as 1998/99 and
includes £21000 music commissioning for jazz.
2. Contemporary Music Network dealing with jazz touring is assumed at the same
level for 98/99.
6. In summary, the public funding of jazz from 1995 – 2000 is set out below.
Table 6 - Funding of Jazz 1995 – 2000
YEAR ARTS ACTUAL OR INCREASE %
COUNCIL AND BUDGET OR INCREASE
RAB FUNDING (DECREASE) OR
FOR JAZZ ON (DECREASE)
PREVIOUS ON
YEAR PREVIOUS
YEAR
1995/96 962,164 ACTUAL - -
SPEND
1996/97 1,526,240 ACTUAL 564,076 58%
SPEND
1997/98 1,874,423 ACTUAL 348,183 22%
SPEND
1998/99 1,343,100 BUDGET (531,323) (28%)
1999/2000 1,030500 BUDGET (312,600) (23%)
7. Conclusion
It is regrettable that when the Arts council of England ratified a policy for jazz with
objectives (albeit unquantified) and strategies they failed to allocate explicit
resources. The Arts Council of England should have earmarked sufficient
resources to enable the Arts Council Music Department to expedite the Council’s
policy. Furthermore, the Arts Council unfortunately failed to realise the immense
opportunity costs incurred in securing relatively modest sums of money from Arts
for Everyone Express and Main Scheme which in any event only provided a two
year funding opportunity. Although much good has been achieved far more
would have and can still be made possible, by an increased ‘earmarked’ revenue
funded budget.
APPENDIX 5
5.ARTS COUNCIL OF ENGLAND SUBSIDY PER ATTENDER FOR JAZZ,
OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC.
In "The Case for Better Investment" published by Jazz Services in November 1993 it was
reported that:
"The Arts Council’s funding of jazz compared to other art forms is at best unfavourable. In
1991/92 opera – with attendances of 2.74 million people – received £7.95 subsidy per
head. Classical music – with 5.4 million attenders – received £1.66 per head. Ballet –
with 2.92 million attenders – received £5.47 per head subsidy. Contemporary Dance
attenders received £1.56 per head. Jazz – with the same size audience as opera –
received just under .8½pence per head. This massive discrepancy cannot be justified in
any terms and requires urgent adjustment; after all, jazz attenders pay their share of
taxes and are entitled to a fair share of the arts cake commensurate to the size of the
audience."
The tables set out below show the cake from 1995 to 1999 in terms of ACE revenue and
fixed term funding for jazz in England. Despite the good intentions of the jazz policy, jazz
– with the same size audience as opera, received subsidy of 0.15 pence in 1995/96 rising
to 0.29 pence per head in 1996/97 falling to 0.25 pence per attender in 1999/2000. Whilst
not wanting to rob Pavarotti to pay Courtney Pine, this discrepancy where subsidy per
attender of opera of 12.07 in 95/96 rising to 12.75 per head in 99/2000 cannot be justified
and still requires urgent adjustment.
1. ACE – Subsidy per attender for jazz opera and classical music for 1995 to
1996.
Table 1
ART FORM % OF ALL ADULTS AMOUNT ADULTS WHO SUBSIDY PER
WHO CURRENTLY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ATTENDER
ATTEND FROM AC ATTEND IN
OPERA/MUSIC MILLIONS
ALLOCATION £
1995/96
£
JAZZ 6.5 380,200 2.5 0.15
OPERA 6.5 31,397,300 2.6 12.07
CLASSICAL 12.7 9,887,600 5 1.97
MUSIC
Source: ACE Budget. 1995/96 and ACE Report & Accounts 1995/96
2. ACE Subsidy per attender for jazz, opera and classical music for 1996/97.
Table 2
ART FORM % OF ALL ADULTS AMOUNT ADULTS WHO SUBSIDY PER
WHO CURRENTLY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ATTENDER
ATTEND FROM AC ATTEND IN
OPERA/MUSIC MILLIONS
ALLOCATION £
1995/96
£
JAZZ 6.1 685,427 2.3 0.29
OPERA 6.3 30,590,300 2.5 12.23
CLASSICAL 12.2 10,609,400 4.8 2.21
MUSIC
Source: ACE Budgets and Target Group Index, Summary of Results for 1996/97
3. ACE Subsidy per attender for jazz, opera and classical music for 1997/98.
Table 3
ART FORM % OF ALL ADULTS AMOUNT ADULTS WHO SUBSIDY PER
WHO CURRENTLY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ATTENDER
ATTEND FROM AC ATTEND IN
OPERA/MUSIC MILLIONS
ALLOCATION £
1995/96
£
JAZZ 6.2 690,286 2.5 0.27
OPERA 6.5 31,225,300 2.6 12.00
CLASSICAL 12.3 10,609,400 4.9 2.16
MUSIC
Source: ACE Budget 1997/98 and ACE Report and Accounts 1997/98.
4. ACE Subsidy per attender for jazz, opera and classical music for 1998/99.
Table 4
ART FORM % OF ALL ADULTS AMOUNT ADULTS WHO SUBSIDY PER
WHO CURRENTLY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ATTENDER
ATTEND FROM AC ATTEND IN
OPERA/MUSIC MILLIONS
ALLOCATION £
1995/96
£
JAZZ 6.2 593,100 2.5 0.23
OPERA 6.5 31,298,330 2.6 12.03
CLASSICAL 12.3 10,382,400 4.9 2.11
MUSIC
Source: ACE Budget 1998/99. The table assumes the same numbers of attenders as
1997/98.
5. ACE Subsidy per attender for jazz opera & classical music 1999/2000.
Table 5
ART FORM % OF ALL ADULTS AMOUNT ADULTS WHO SUBSIDY PER
WHO CURRENTLY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ATTENDER
ATTEND FROM AC ATTEND IN
OPERA/MUSIC MILLIONS
ALLOCATION £
1999/2000
£
JAZZ 6.2 630,500 2.5 0.25
OPERA 6.5 33,165,615 2.6 12.75
CLASSICAL 12.3 11,117,300 4.9 2.26
MUSIC
Source: ACE Budget 1999/2000. The table assumes the same numbers of attenders as
1997/98.
APPENDIX 6
6.PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES AND THE "2 IN A BAR" RULE.
1.Background
1. If greater access to music and a variety of entertainment is to be
provided at local level the regulations covering the granting of
entertainment licences need to be drastically reformed. Under the
Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1973, there is a partial exemption to
Section 182 of the Liquor Licensing Act 1964 which allows venues to be
exempt from applying for an Entertainment Licence provided that no
more than two performers are engaged. In 1982 the power to licence
premises was taken from the justices and placed in the hands of local
authorities. As a result of the squeeze on local authority financing and
different licensing requirements, there are wide discrepancies, both in
terms of cost and local regulation in applying for a licence.
2. This has provoked numerous anomalies where two performers (with all
the technology required to launch a cruise missile with about the same
sound levels) can play in a local pub without the need for an
Entertainment Licence, but if a licensee or promoter wishes to engage a
jazz band or a palm court trio, an Entertainment Licence with all the
necessary additional costs and regulations, is needed. The Musicians’
Union and Equity have copious examples of the difference in costs
between neighbouring Local Authorities and of some of the more absurd
regulations. A recent example is Milton Keynes Council, which stated
that any venue requiring an entertainment licence must have two door
security staff. For a local pub putting on a folk night, jazz group or string
quartet this local requirement is patently absurd and has already had the
effect of music venues in the town stating they will no longer continue to
engage musicians.
3. Whilst recognising the public safety requirements of venues whose prime
purpose is for the provision of entertainment, i.e. concert halls, theatres,
discos etc., needs to be protected, the view of the Musicians’ Union,
Equity, The Writers’ Guild, Jazz Services Limited and the Association of
British Jazz Musicians is that if the licensed premises have been granted
a Liquor Licence and a Fire Certificate and entertainment is secondary to
the main function of the premises, then the matter of the number of
entertainers to be engaged can best be left to the licensee or the
promoter. Many venues who wished to put on entertainment on either a
regular or casual basis using more than two performers, are put off from
doing so because a whole new range of additional regulations and
bureaucracy is required, to say nothing of the payments, just because
three performers are to be engaged instead of two.
4. A similar problem exists on a much larger scale regarding outdoor
concerts of all types. One major pop promoter gave an example of an
entertainment licence costing £8,000 in one area for a large outdoor
concert and, for the same concert, £42,000 in another. There are also
examples of classical concerts that are staged outdoors being subjected
to a wide disparity of fees and regulations in relation to obtaining
entertainment licences.
5. Both Jazz Services and the Association of British Jazz Musicians replied
to the Home Office Consultation Paper on Entertainment Licensing in
rd
May 1996. Jazz Services also wrote to the Home Office on 3 April 1997
to ascertain progress and received an anodyne reply. Ken Purchase, MP
th
on the 20 April 1998 tabled a written question. Jazz Services and the
Association of British Jazz Musicians are concerned at the lack of
progress on the review. Musicians’ livelihoods are seriously affected by
the current licensing legislation.
6. Summary of key research findings on the two in a bar rule. Hamish Birchall –
th
Monday 11 October 1999.
1. The Government has failed to grasp the significance and scale of the
impact made on grass-roots music-making by the "two in a bar" rule, now
35 years old.
2. Section 182 has been described as "absurd and irrational" by the Arts
Council of England (Rajan Hooper), the Restaurant Association (Ian
MacKerracher), the BLRA (Dr Martin Rawlings, author of the recent
BLRA Home Office submission for reform of the Licensing Act) and, of
course, the Musicians’ Union.
3. Rowena Fletton, of the Home Office Licensing Review team, wrote as
th
recently as 30 July 1999: "local authorities were firmly opposed to any
relaxation [of public entertainment licensing]".
4. Rowena Fletton was unaware that David Chambers, Head of Licensing
Policy at Westminster City Council and a nationally recognised authority
on PELs, had already concluded: "The view of the Council [Westminster]
th
is that Section 182(1) needs repealing" (letter 26 July 199). In a
telephone conversation with Hamish Birchall he said Section 182 was "a
very blunt instrument" and urgently in need of reform.
5. David Chambers’ letter was copied to Rowena Fletton, Dennis Scard
(General Secretary, MU), Chris Hodgkins and to Mike O’Brien, the Home
Office Minister with responsibility for this review.
6. Ms Fletton acknowledged receipt of David Chambers’ letter, adding that
his proposals were "very interesting" and that she would shortly be
discussing them with colleagues. Her most recent letter, 4 October 1999,
implies a shift: "I think we all now agree that the present law, including
the way in which it distinguishes between live and recorded music for
entertainment licensing purposes is unsatisfactory."
7. An MA dissertation at City University, written by David Roberts in 1997,
entitled Public Entertainment Licensing -–A Concise History and
Critique", comes to an important conclusion: "… the current law in
respect of Public Entertainment Licensing is discriminatory and that its
administration engenders a conflict of interests. I believe that there are
adequate grounds to repeal the legislation and that suitable protection as
it exists for all parties under the current Act is available within the existing
provisions incorporated in alternative Acts of Parliament."
8. Mr Roberts also makes important observations about the social
consequences of Section 182. "It may also be socially and culturally
divisive. This is because it appears to hinder, at first in a seemingly
arbitrary manner, performances of particular styles of music and at
particular types of venue." This surely runs counter to Government Arts
policy, such as it is.
9. All styles of music suffer but jazz has been hit particularly hard. Over the
last decade all the major music colleges (RA, Guildhall, Leeds, Royal
Northern, Trinity) have launched jazz degrees. The capital is now
bursting with talent, but there has been no corresponding increase in the
(small) number of venues for bands.
10. In October 1999, the DfEE launched the "New Deal for Musicians" aimed
at getting young musicians off the dole. The success or failure of this
project depends on their being able to form or join bands and find venues
in which to play. They will naturally turn to pubs and clubs and perhaps
to restaurants, for potential outlets. But this is precisely the environment
in which Section 182 is most oppressive. Statistics are hard to come by,
but when you consider that something like 80% of pubs, clubs and
restaurants do not have a PEL, that means that there are bout 100,000
venues where duos only are legal. Even if only 10% of that number were
suitable for larger groups, that would mean 10,000 additional venues.
11. The DCMS have commissioned a number of detailed reports on the state
of the "music industry" in Britain: by Comedia, Spectrum Strategy
Consulting and others. They have even published their own reports
highlighting the essential role of the arts, including music, in the
Government’s strategy for the regeneration of run-down communities
(Report to the Social Exclusion Unit, by Policy Action Group 10).
Nowhere in any of these documents is Section 182 mentioned, let alone
identified as a problem.
12. Surely, in order to judge the performance of any Government initiative
whose aim is to improve employment for musicians, the DCMS needs to
have some idea of the present extent of live music venues in the UK.
Hamish Birchall asked Mark McGann, Secretary to the Music Industry
Forum, if the DCMS had any data like this. He confirmed that the DCMS
has only done this research for classical venues.